Posterity

[Seminarysnoozer]

What is the significance of earthly "posterity" in the afterlife? I can appreciate the significance of being sealed to my family that I shared experiences with here in this life but why would I value a sealed family member's bond removed by several generations more than I would a "sister" or "brother" who belonged to another earthly family?

We are all brothers and sisters and we likely spent more time together in the pre-earthly life than we do here. My bonds, I would imagine, run deeper with those relationships than say my great great great grandfather who maybe accepts the gospel in the spirit world and therefore sealed to the family. Or what about a future great great great grandson who falls away from the church but then his grandsons join the church. In other words, I had no direct influence on them being a part of the church, per se. What difference does that make in the next life to have that "posterity" in the next life?

Similarly, what significance does it mean to Abraham to have "kings" in his posterity? Does that add to his glory in the next life? Would it make a difference if that "posterity" was not blood related but just someone who was baptized into the church as a result of our efforts to spread the gospel.

Is that really what "posterity" means? those that come after us who, as a result of our efforts, have the gospel in their lives? Not necessarily blood relatives.

I am curious what everyone things about earthly "posterity" and its significance in the next life. Is there some inherent value to me from a "blood" relative that I may have generations down the road that does some great thing, even though I have had no direct influence in their choices. I know everything I do affects all generations after me but then that would stand to reason that all those souls that came before us would have more valiant links to their name than anyone who was born at a later time.

[Traveler]

Salvation is not an individual or personal thing. Often we think in those terms in order to establish our covenants but there is great importance both in our ancestors and our seed and decedents. In D & C 84 we learn a little more about covenants. All that accept G-d accept his Son and all that accept his Son receive and accept the priesthood, all that receive and accept the priesthood become the sons of Aaron and Moses. Our covenant becomes our linage. This linage is part of the definition of “eternal life”. We become brothers and sisters of the covenant with all our ancestors and descendents.

Without our posterity we cannot have “eternal life”. Therefore those of our generation that having received the everlasting covenant that desecrate marriage and forsake posterity according to their lusts, passions and desires break themselves away from their ancestors as well as their posterity.

The Traveler

[Seminarysnoozer]

Salvation is not an individual or personal thing. Often we think in those terms in order to establish our covenants but there is great importance both in our ancestors and our seed and decedents.

Without our posterity we cannot have “eternal life”.

The Traveler

Thanks. Just to be clear, I was only talking about earthly posterity. ... Would you still say that without earthly posterity we cannot have "eternal life"?

What exactly is the importance given to earthly ancestors and our earthly seed?

[Seminarysnoozer]

speaking of posterity,

(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 5:7)

7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the achildren of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are bchanged through faith on his name; therefore, ye are cborn of him and have become his dsons and his daughters.

family seems to be a matter of covenants, and beliefs.

see also:

(New Testament | Matthew 12:46 - 50)

46 ¶ While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his abrethren stood bwithout, desiring to speak with him.

47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my amother and my brethren!

50 For whosoever shall do the awill of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my bbrother, and sister, and mother.

so yes, family is not really about who you were born to/decended from, but who you agree with...

the beautiful thing about marriage - we do not (usually) marry cousins/aunts/brothers/sister - the most sacred union is one of choice, not one assigned through genetics....

On the other hand, there are blessings that follow certain family lines...

(New Testament | Matthew 19:6)

6 ...What therefore God hath joined together, let not man bput asunder.

In the premortal life, were we assigned into certain family lines based on who we were? Our parents/children - perhaps these spirits were placed about us for a reason? They are the family that God has chosen for us, and so there is much we can learn from them....

Thanks, yes I am tending to see it more this way than I ever have.

Your comment about "the most sacred union is one of choice, not one assigned through genetics" is interesting when you look at promises given to Abraham about his descendants or the fact that Jesus came through David's line. It seems there is something more to that than just priesthood lineage or 'belief' alignment that there is some genetic reason for this.

That comment is also interesting in that there are some, even on this forum, that say that our pre-earthly spirits looked like our earthly bodies before we were born, in terms of certain features like hair color, height, shape of the nose etc. If God knew to make our spirits a certain shape and design before this world then He would have to know who would mate with whom. ... (including those caused by rape or slavery etc.) ... then we get into the whole thing about foreknowledge versus free agency etc. The only reason I bring this up is because I don't think there is such importance on earthly genetics as seems to be proclaimed by many in the church. I tend to think that earthly genetics is just for earth in this state, a telestial existence.

[JThimm88]

Yes, as I understand it, beyond the veil our children will be our brothers and sisters - our grandparents will be our brothers and sisters. The only relashonship which will be more than brother/sister is that with our spouse.

I'm wondering then, particularly if our children will be our brothers/sisters beyond the veil, how it is that we'll still have the opportunity to have children in the celestial kingdom? I guess I'm confused -- it's like saying that I'll be bearing my brothers/sisters with my husband in the next life, versus our children???

[Seminarysnoozer]

I don't think foreknowledge takes away agency (that agency concerns who made the choice - the future can be set in stone, but we set our own future in stone, so it is our agency... knowing something and causing it are two different things.)

Yes, as I understand it, beyond the veil our children will be our brothers and sisters - our grandparents will be our brothers and sisters. The only relashonship which will be more than brother/sister is that with our spouse.

I think genealogy is still worthwhile to do for temple work, because many of those who came before us specifically sacrificed for our well being, so we owe them - just as we owe Adam/Eve, that they sacrificed their life that we might live... those who have children sacrifice for their children, so we are connected to those we are related to.

(New Testament | Matthew 6:19 - 20)

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves bbreak through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

I think the treasures in heaven are one another... those who have influenced our lives, friends, family...

Yes. But this is exactly why I bring up this question of what is the true value or significance of "earthly posterity" to the eternities?

Abraham didn't have a personal relationship with me in this life. So, if, theoretically, I am a direct descendant of Abraham, what value does that have to Abraham right now any more than if I was not a direct descendant of Abraham but just adopted into the covenant? In other words, does "posterity" really have any more meaning than those people that fall under our influence?

Maybe another way to say this is; if a person has 10 children and they we are taught the gospel and became faithful followers of Christ, would that be any different than converting 10 people and they became faithful followers of Christ as far as the word "posterity" goes?